Enhance data security to prevent unauthorized parties from committing identity theft or accessing proprietary information. Learn three ways your business can protect sensitive data.
Data Security Tips
Large and small businesses collect customer data that hackers and identity thieves want to steal. While companies store ample data in encrypted digital records, physical records also require protection.
Develop a comprehensive approach to safeguarding sensitive information. Discover three ways businesses can protect sensitive data.
Implement a Cybersecurity Strategy
A cybersecurity strategy outlines how to keep data secure and what to do if an unauthorized party gains access to confidential information. The plan clarifies team members’ roles and responsibilities and facilitates fast responses to security breaches.
Broad Steps for Creating Your Strategy
Start your strategy creation by understanding the threats against your business and identifying your vulnerabilities. Then, employ cybersecurity tools and software, including firewalls and anti-virus software.
Protect and manage sensitive data with access controls and tools that store and transfer data securely. Regularly monitor, review, and update your security measures to stay ahead of bad actors.
Strategically Secure Physical Data
Physical data includes hard drives, CDs, and paper documents. These forms can contain private information such as financial records, business data, and customer information.
Storing Physical Data
Store physical documents in secure filing cabinets, safes, or storage rooms that unauthorized personnel cannot access. Regularly audit physical data holdings to know where items are stored, who has access, and whether there are potential security gaps.
Disposing of Physical Data
You must irreversibly destroy physical data so that perpetrators cannot extract information. You may choose to hire a company to dispose of your records or destroy your records in-house. One of the most common reasons businesses need industrial shredders is to save time and money disposing of paper and digital storage components, such as hard drives.
Train Employees on Data Security
Employee training is an essential way businesses protect sensitive data. Training will provide staff with the knowledge and tools they need to recognize and prevent security threats.
The standardized training program can instruct employees on the following topics:
- Physical security: Using, storing, and disposing of physical documents.
- Password security: Creating strong, unique passwords for each account.
- Scams: Phishing emails, suspicious links, and other scams to be aware of.
- Malware: What it is and how to protect against it.
Retrain employees regularly to ensure they understand, remember, and follow your business’s security standards. Online training programs make it easy to deploy trainings at predetermined intervals.
Implement digital and physical data security strategies, then train and retrain employees on security standards. Taking these steps reduces data breaches and protects your business and customers.
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